(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of neutralizing hazardous products and a composition therefor. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a method for the treatment of formaldehyde and formaldehyde bearing solutions, particularly those which are used such as in hospital laboratories, medical and veterinary research and testing laboratories and mortuaries, for tissue fixation, for providing biological sample preservatives, and the like to render the solutions readily disposable for dumping and for external treatment without harming the environment.
(b) Description of Prior Art
The reaction of urea with formaldehyde to provide a copolymer and the resultant neutralization of formaldehyde has been known for a long time. As a matter of fact, any skilled chemist would know that this reaction was one of the first to be disclosed in the field of polymer chemistry. It would therefore be normal to expect that each time formaldehyde becomes a problem, urea would be used to offset the possibly harmful effects of formaldehyde. For example, it is well known that in a chemical plant, or in a laboratory, a formaldehyde spill which cannot be otherwise disposed of, may be treated with urea to at least partially neutralize its effects. While the use of formaldehyde is essential for tissue preservation, the discharge of formaldehyde bearing wastes however, is looked upon as damaging to the environment. Formaldehyde users are normally forced to employ waste management companies to deal with the disposal problem.
However, to the knowledge of the applicant, in the case of large amounts of formaldehyde or formaldehyde bearing solutions, no proposal has been advanced to safely, efficiently and economically handle these products without harming the environment. This is particularly the case of hospitals, medical and veterinary research laboratories and mortuaries where large quantities of formaldehyde must consistently be removed from the site to locations where little or no problem to the environment would be caused.
The prior art discloses the following references, none of which even comes close to suggesting a practical solution to the problem discussed above: